Washington, D.C., January 10, 2013 - The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) thanks President Obama and Vice President Biden for bringing together mental health and disability organizations to discuss how to improve access to mental health services.

Yesterday, AACAP participated in the first round of talks with Vice President Biden's task force, including US. Secretary of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius and Attorney General Eric Holder, charged with developing specific proposals to end the cycle of gun violence in communities.

"The recent tragedies at Sandy Hook Elementary School and in numerous other American towns have clearly demonstrated that America's mental health care system is broken. If we are to fix America's health care system we need to start by making investments in the prevention, early identification and research and treatment of mental illnesses," said former AACAP board member, J. Michael Houston, M.D., who represented AACAP at the meeting.

AACAP advocated for early intervention and prevention of mental illnesses by increasing access to mental health services by ensuring there are enough mental health professionals to treat those in need, and by helping schools and other child-serving systems provide children with effective mental health services and support.